"It was epic - that's what it was," said Nic Anderson, who sailed down the ski slope in a pirate-themed boat.

This is the first time in its four-year run that the Red Bull Schlittentag, a sledding run where creativity is king and crashing is just par for the course, has come to Mount Hood.

Anderson's team made a valiant effort to make it all the way down but crashed hard about halfway. All three men ended up on the snow while their empty boat sailed right on by.

Photo by Kai Hayashi / KATU.com.

"I think it's going to come in pretty hot," Jonathan Keenan of Beaverton predicted before the race. He and his buddies used an old couch to make themselves a 'couch trike.'

Photo by Kai Hayashi / KATU.com.

"We're just committing and going for it," Keenan said. And go for it they did - their couch-mobile careened down the slope in style.

"This is the first and only test run," said Joshua Svaren of Boring, who was there with his pals, Shon Boulden and Steve Santaro. Their team was 'Free Ballin' - an ode to the basketball teams of the 70s. And their sled? A giant basketball shoe - of course.

Photo by Kai Hayashi / KATU.com.

"We just decided we wanted to go as fast as we could and crash as hard as we could," said Zeke Wilson, who dressed up like a giant banana and took a painful-looking face plant in the snow at the bottom of the hill.

We asked him how bad it hurt and he told us "well, it didn't tickle."

Photo by Kai Hayashi / KATU.com.

Yes, there was pain involved for a lot of the participants. Crashing hurts and for some of the folks who chose to wear less, there was even some serious road rash.

Still, everyone who dared themselves to take the ride came out at the bottom with smiles on their faces. And the crowd loved it. Job well done everyone - job well done.